Man held after machete incident in restaurant

May 27 2012

A 25-year-old Victoria man was arrested Saturday for allegedly waving a machete around inside Burger King in the 1300 block of Douglas Street.

Victoria police received several calls about 8 a.m. reporting a man with a large machete in the restaurant. "People who saw him waving it around were obviously very concerned," said Staff Sgt. Barry Cockle.

The man allegedly tried to stash the machete in a garbage can when officers arrived, but they recovered the weapon.

Police said the man told them he was not trying to hurt anyone, rather was trying to sell the machete for drug money.

The machete was an expensive, decorative one, possibly a collectors item, Cockle said. Police are trying to determine its origin so they can get it back to its rightful owner.

The arrested man, who is known to police, faces charges of possession of a weapon dangerous to the public.